About the same time the great Tina Turner made the phrase “Simply the Best” household words, a group known as NACTOY was creating its own “best.” But this one – built by 50 veteran automotive journalists -- was a list of the top cars and trucks released in North America that year. Since then, every December that jury narrows its list to three candidates and prepares to crown the winner of the North American Car & Truck of the Year at Detroit’s International Auto Show in January. On this week’s Autoline, founding member John McElroy is joined by two of his NACTOY colleagues to talk about the top cars of the year and to predict the winner of this year’s North American Car of the Year.

In the middle of some of our bleakest economic times, the Blue Oval has strung together a few impressive years. Not only with sales and solid product, but with stability. Something that hasn't been seen in the auto industry for quite a while. And much of the credit has gone to the leadership of its CEO Alan Mulally. But as Mr. Mulally nears retirement people are beginning to ask who will take his place at the helm of the Ford Motor Company. Experts point to the extraordinary bench strength in its boardroom and believe the next leader will come from there, with one the top candidates the company's Executive Vice President and President of the Americas, Mark Fields. And this week Mr. Fields joins John McElroy on Autoline to talk about Ford, its future and the health of the auto industry as a whole. Joining John on his panel are Jean Jennings of Automobile and Jason Stein from Automotive News.

They seemed cut from the same cloth. Single syllable names engaged in undercover work that was linked to exotic cars. The difference is one man, James Bond, is of course a fictional character while Jim Dunne, the original Car Spy, is a real photo journalist with stories that could have been crafted by Ian Fleming himself. But Dunne’s exploits are factual and his pictures were ground breaking as he revealed prototype after prototype much to the chagrin of the OEMs. Long since retired, he now shares these juicy stories in a new book on his career called “Car Spy.” And this week he joins John McElroy on Autoline to discuss those great “gets” from his career. Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Jim Hall from 2953 Analytics join in on the discussion.

What sounds like a lawsuit working its way through the U.S. court system is in reality the epic struggle that plagued the American auto industry the last four decades.

And Bob Lutz is the auto executive who has seen it all. Over his nearly 50 years on the inside, he ran BMW, Ford, Chrysler and GM. Now that he’s retired and on the outside he’s pointing out problems with the industry. In his latest book – Car Guys Versus Bean Counters – he spotlights those, he believes, who have hurt the industry the most. And you don’t need an MBA to figure out who he means.

This week the man known as “Maximum Bob” joins John McElroy on Autoline along with panelists Csaba Csere and Peter De Lorenzo to discuss his book and the industry he devoted his life to.

For more than 40 years, one inconspicuous building outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan has been making the air we breathe cleaner. It’s the home of The Environmental Protection Agency’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. No engine can be sold in America without its stamp of approval.

This week John McElroy gets an exclusive look behind the walls of the Lab as he talks with the EPA’s Chris Grundler about the work they do there, how it impacts the auto industry and the motorized products that we all buy.

The heavy lifting is finally done, at least for a couple more years. A few weeks ago the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) and Chrysler, Ford and General Motors each reached agreement to continue making cars uninterrupted. In fact, as these things go, the 2011 process was pretty painless. But then it was the first time that -- thanks to the government bailout of Chrysler and GM -- the union's hands were tied on two of the three contracts. No walkouts and no strikes equaled little leverage. And then toss in the weak economy and membership had few options but to approve. Or did they? Was the latest contract in the best interest of the UAW and its members? Did the automakers win big or given the circumstances was it just window dressing? For the answers and analysis on the latest UAW contract John McElroy assembled his Labor Panel to evaluate the winners, losers and whatever. Joining him are Sean McAlinden from the Center for Automotive Research, Joe Szczesny of the Oakland Press (MI) and labor analyst Robert Chiaravalli.

Most of us have read it at one time or another. The small yellow reference guide that tells you what a used car is worth. Well the National Auto Dealers Association has been publishing that book since 1933 but it’s really the only NADA effort that consumers touch. Most times the group is serving the needs of the more than 17,000 new car and truck dealers in the United States. And each year those members elect one of their own to run the organization. In 2011 Stephen Wade, a multiple brand franchisee from Utah has been leading the U.S. dealer body as they fight to survive our fickle economy. This week John McElroy welcomes Mr. Wade to the Autoline studios to hear what’s going on with the retail end of the business. Joining them on the panel are Steve Finlay of Wardsauto.com and Jeff Bennett from the Wall Street Journal.

Anniversaries are special. That’s one of the reasons they’re celebrated with a particular metal, element or stone. But rarely do they break out the 10-carat diamond because that denotes 100 years, 10 decades or nearly 37,000 days if you wish.

Well, besides making cars, that’s just what the Chevrolet brand has been celebrating throughout 2011. From its namesake founder to its iconic product (Corvette) to its darkest day (GM’s bankruptcy), the bowtie has not only seen it all, but survived it as well. So what better time to take a look at this brand that, in its heyday, separated from General Motors, would’ve been one of the largest companies in the world on its own.

That’s why John McElroy and Autoline This Week come to you from GM’s World Headquarters in downtown Detroit, Michigan with special guest Chris Perry, the brand’s global marketing chief. Joining John and Chris as they talk about the first century of Chevrolet and beyond are Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press and Frank Markus from Motor Trend.

Auto shows are about the outlandish. Huge displays, science fiction technology and cars, cars, cars. The most eye-catching being those stunning, figments from a Designer’s imagination: The Concepts. Recently in Frankfurt, Germany, John McElroy caught up with three of the more elusive European-based designers for an Autoline exclusive walk-around of their significant reveals at the September show.

Joining John at Walkaround Central is Ford’s VP of Global Design J Mays who explains the significance of the Evos and its design language; meanwhile Maserati’s Marco Tencone gives a close-up look John at his high-end Kubang SUV Concept based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee; and finally we get a look at the stunning rear-drive GT Concept from Kia’s Peter Schreyer. All that this week on Autoline.

Show 1543

Bill Vlasic, Author, “Once Upon A Car.” Topic: Behind the scenes of the Big Three collapse.

Stephen King may have frightened readers all over the world with his twisted tales but he can’t scare Detroit. His imagination pales in comparison to the daily coverage on the travails of the Big Three that greeted readers each and every day just a few years ago. For a city, a state, a country so dependent on the production of the automobile, we all watched in horror as these great institutions nearly ceased to exist.

A man with a front row seat to all the inside action has now committed it to paper; a heavier grade than where his normal work resides. Bill Vlasic, Detroit Bureau Chief for the New York Times captures the tumult of the years and the behind-the-scenes intrigue that nearly brought down the Big Three and clearly changed the automotive landscape forever. He joins John McElroy for an exclusive one-on-one talking about his book, "Once Upon a Car” on Autoline this week.

Every two years the massive Messe in Frankfurt, Germany plays host to one of the largest, if not the largest auto show in the world. Twelve huge buildings with another constructed just for that event alone, it’s the center of the automotive universe for those days in September.

This backyard advantage provides the hometown German automakers with the opportunity to impress the auto world with displays the size of zeppelins filled with cutting edge concepts.

John McElroy anchors Autoline this week from the site of this biennial show getting the latest from executives for three important German brands, including Jonathan Browning of Volkswagen of America, Ian Robertson from BMW AG and Johan de Nysschen of Audi America.

Since that epic day when Henry Ford turned the switch on the assembly line some 85 years ago, manufacturing has been pretty straight. Oh maybe a turn was added here and there as the years went on, and robots, too, but essentially, ever since 1913 automobiles have been made one way and Thomas Crumm says it’s time to blow it up. Literally! John McElroy’s guest on Autoline this week is a former General Motors engineer who writes in his provocative new book “What is Good for General Motors” that the only way for GM to survive into the 21st Century is to destroy the assembly line. And replace it with what? Tune into Autoline and discover how. Joining John in questioning this manufacturing revolutionary is Drew Winter of WardsAuto.com and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design & Production.

The Pill box hat, the Mini skirt and the Little Black Dress along with hood ornaments, mood lighting and tail fins. What all six of these obviously different elements have in common are fashion. They just happen to be from two divergent universes: Women’s clothing and automobile design. However, there are times that they cross paths and have done so for 50, 60 some 70 years. And that place is the auto show. The same environment that author Margery Krevsky captures in her book “Sirens of Chrome.” On this week’s Autoline John McElroy talks to Ms. Krevsky and fashion consultant Karen Buscemi about the intersection of automotive and fashion. And don’t miss Autoline’s own Fashion Show where four professional product specialists, as they’re called, model some of the great historic dresses from auto shows past.

Show 1539

You know the game. It’s been played for years. All it takes are three shells, one pea and a gullible audience to bet money on what is know as a short-con. Well these days there’s another shell game going on, this time with cars; most of them damaged in one way or another. Titles are being washed, VINs cloned and Salvage Pools decimated as used cars disappear into the wild blue yonder. It’s a big problem that not many consumers know exist which is why it’s the topic for this week’s Autoline. John McElroy looks into this “new shell game” with Michael Wilson from the Automotive Recyclers Association and Eric Widmer of Alliance Inspection Management also know as AIM.

Many agree that the auction house Barrett-Jackson has its grips on some of the greatest collector cars in America. But there’s a large group of classic cars just 90 miles off the Florida coast that no collector – try as they might -- has been able to buy…because they reside in the communist country of Cuba.

Since the U.S. embargo was enacted in the early ‘60s, no American products have been allowed either into the country, or out. And experts agree, sitting on that small island is a treasure trove of pre-1960 vehicles that many collectors would love to own.

During a trip to Cuba John McElroy captured the story of these incredible vehicles and their owners in a short Autoline documentary called “Stuck in Time” which begins this week’s broadcast. John then follows that story with a trip to our studio with two men well steeped in the car collecting culture. McKeel Hagerty knows the value of cars like these since insuring vintage vehicles is part of his business at Hagerty Insurance. And Ken Lingenfelter of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has been collecting classic cars for years. This week on Autoline they join John to share their thoughts on Cuba, these unique cars and whether or not they’ll ever make it off the island.

Show 1537

They seemed cut from the same cloth. Single syllable names engaged in undercover work that was linked to exotic cars. The difference is one man, James Bond, is of course a fictional character while Jim Dunne, the original Car Spy, is a real photo journalist with stories that could have been crafted by Ian Fleming himself. But Dunne’s exploits are factual and his pictures were ground breaking as he revealed prototype after prototype much to the chagrin of the OEMs. Long since retired, he now shares these juicy stories in a new book on his career called “Car Spy.” And this week he joins John McElroy on Autoline to discuss those great “gets” from his career. Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Jim Hall from 2953 Analytics join in on the discussion.

No one seemed to capture the culture of cars better than the Beach Boys. When they weren’t singing about California girls in the early ‘60s they were worshiping hot rods and muscle cars. And those cars, like the songs, seem to get better with age. That’s why those 40 to 50 year old classic cars evolved from a weekend hobby for some, to a collector’s heaven for others. In fact the entire market has been exploding of late. Just ask McKeel Hagerty & Ken Lingenfelter. These successful business owners – Hagerty in insurance, Lingenfelter in engineering – have extensive collections that go far beyond just hot rods. Both men join John McElroy this week on Autoline to discuss the rocketing vintage car market.

Most would say the soundtrack of U.S. labor union movement is closer to the edgy guitar of Woody Guthrie than the smooth sounds of Burt Bacharach. But it’s a new day at beleaguered unions like the United Auto Workers as they, like the Bacharach song says, “reach out” to not only stay relevant but rebuild a membership that has been collapsing. And that “reaching out” for the UAW is the job of union Vice President Cindy Estrada who joins John McElroy this week on Autoline. Ms. Estrada talks to John and panelists Alisa Priddle of the Detroit News & Joe Szczesny of the Oakland Press about her rise through the UAW and her plans to replenish those dwindling membership ranks.

About the time that the Doobie Brothers burst onto the ‘70s music scene with songs like “China Grove” and “Eyes of Silver,” the design eyes of Walter de’Silva were just coming into focus across the Atlantic at FIAT. Over the next 40 years his influence could be seen on not only European cars but eventually in global brands like Audi, Bentley and Bugatti as well. And now in 2011, as the current head of Volkswagen Group Design he is responsible for the look of every model that is created by the eight brands in the group. This week in a very special edition of Autoline, Walter de’Silva joins John McElroy, Todd Lassa from Motor Trend and Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics for a look inside the fascinating world of automotive design.

With the auto industry as volatile as ever, it pays to have a good analyst to keep an eye where it might be heading. Well, this week Autoline has invited three of the best in the business to discuss the issues driving the industry. Joining John McElroy is Jessica Caldwell from Edmunds, IHS Automotive’s Michael Robinet and Jeff Schuster of J.D. Power and Associates. The group talks about a variety of issues including, slowing car sales, the impact of alternative vehicles and Asia’s continuing affect on the global industry.

Change has been the theme at the United Auto Workers union for the last few years. As it fought to keep members and jobs, it met face-to-face with today’s economic reality: Bankrupt automakers, unprofitable corporations and strong non-union foreign transplants. But now, with the UAW’s new president Bob King firmly in control, a new reality is taking shape.

Joining John McElroy to discuss where the UAW goes from here is Sean McAlinden from the Center for Automotive Research, Robert Chiaravalli, the president of Strategic Labor & Human Resources and Joe Szczesny of the Oakland Press.

The rough-and-tumble world of Chicago politics is often given credit for the mantra “vote early and often.” Even though not a legal option, it may not be bad advice when it comes to those car-of-the-year candidates. In fact, there are so many new vehicles being released by manufacturers each year it comes out to almost one per week. That makes it tough for auto reporters who need to drive and evaluate each one of them and then get the word out to their readers, listeners or viewers.

Well tough or not, John McElroy was able to convince two of his North American Car & Truck of the Year judges him to join him on this week’s Autoline to talk the latest in vehicles. Car & Driver’s dynamic duo of Tony Swan and Eddie Alterman sit in on this week’s broadcast to evaluate what they’ve already driven, and what may be coming before the end of the year.

Many agree that the auction house Barrett-Jackson has its grips on some of the greatest collector cars in America. But there’s a large group of classic cars just 90 miles off the Florida coast that no collector – try as they might -- has been able to buy…because they reside in the communist country of Cuba.

Since the U.S. embargo was enacted in the early ‘60s, no American products have been allowed either into the country, or out. And experts agree, sitting on that small island is a treasure trove of pre-1960 vehicles that many collectors would love to own.

During a trip to Cuba John McElroy captured the story of these incredible vehicles and their owners in a short Autoline documentary called “Stuck in Time” which begins this week’s broadcast. John then follows that story with a trip to our studio with two men well steeped in the car collecting culture. McKeel Hagerty knows the value of cars like these since insuring vintage vehicles is part of his business at Hagerty Insurance. And Ken Lingenfelter of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has been collecting classic cars for years. This week on Autoline they join John to share their thoughts on Cuba, these unique cars and whether or not they’ll ever make it off the island.

More than ever before, auto manufacturers rely on suppliers to produce and provide parts for today’s vehicles, especially those on the top called Tier Ones. And there are few Tier Ones bigger than Bosch’s Automotive division. Take North America as an example. Just last year it was responsible for $5.6 Billion in sales employing more than 13,000. The man in charge of the Americas for Bosch is Peter Marks where he not only oversees automotive, but the group’s entire business including healthcare, a variety of technologies and even consumer goods. This week on Autoline, John McElroy welcomes Robert Bosch North American Chairman, President and CEO Peter Marks along with our panelists Michelle Krebs fro Edmunds.com and Tom Murphy from WardsAuto.com.

About the time that the Doobie Brothers burst onto the ‘70s music scene with songs like “China Grove” and “Eyes of Silver,” the design eyes of Walter de’Silva were just coming into focus across the Atlantic at FIAT. Over the next 40 years his influence could be seen on not only European cars but eventually in global brands like Audi, Bentley and Bugatti as well. And now in 2011, as the current head of Volkswagen Group Design he is responsible for the look of every model that is created by the eight brands in the group. This week in a very special edition of Autoline, Walter de’Silva joins John McElroy, Todd Lassa from Motor Trend and Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics for a look inside the fascinating world of automotive design.

With the auto industry as volatile as ever, it pays to have a good analyst to keep an eye where it might be heading. Well, this week Autoline has invited three of the best in the business to discuss the issues driving the industry. Joining John McElroy is Jessica Caldwell from Edmunds, IHS Automotive’s Michael Robinet and Jeff Schuster of J.D. Power and Associates. The group talks about a variety of issues including, slowing car sales, the impact of alternative vehicles and Asia’s continuing affect on the global industry.

Glass House has been glistening more than usual of late. Whether it’s profits or products, Ford has been on quite a roll. Alan Mulally, the company’s president & CEO receives much of the credit, but he’s quick to share the spotlight with his team. And one of those executives who has played a big part in that success is Derek Kuzak, the Group Vice President in charge of Global Product Development. This week on Autoline he joins John McElroy to discuss the Ford product trail and where it leads into the future. Joining John on the Autoline panel are Tony Swan from Car & Driver and Paul Eisenstein of the Detroit Bureau.

What sounds like a lawsuit working its way through the U.S. court system is in reality the epic struggle that plagued the American auto industry the last four decades.

And Bob Lutz is the auto executive who has seen it all. Over his nearly 50 years on the inside, he ran BMW, Ford, Chrysler and GM. Now that he’s retired and on the outside he’s pointing out problems with the industry. In his latest book – Car Guys Versus Bean Counters – he spotlights those, he believes, who have hurt the industry the most. And you don’t need an MBA to figure out who he means.

This week the man known as “Maximum Bob” joins John McElroy on Autoline along with panelists Csaba Csere and Peter De Lorenzo to discuss his book and the industry he devoted his life to.

Ad agencies tend to have a long shelf life at GM. Buick signed McCann-Erickson in 1958 while Chevy and Campbell-Ewald went all the way back to 1919. That was until the 2009 bankruptcy. And that was until Joel Ewanick.

Ewanick was the Hyundai marketing guru who made actor Jeff Bridges the voice of the Korean automaker and subsequently improved sales. He joined GM in 2010 as VP of U.S. marketing and was quickly named the automaker's global chief marketing officer in only 6 months. Ewanick moves decisively and has a "take no prisoners" mentality. Just ask any of GM's old ad agencies. He changed each one in less than a year which was pretty historic at Chevy; that's something the brand hadn't done in nearly a century.

This week John McElroy welcomes special guest Joel Ewanick for his first visit to Autoline. He is joined by Chrissie Thompson of the Detroit Free Press and Peter De Lorenzo of Autoextremist.com.

You'd think being in charge of design for an automaker would be a big enough job, but not for Ralph Gilles. As the designer of the iconic 2005 Chrysler 300, he was promoted to oversee design for all 5 of the company's brands. But in addition, when CEO Sergio Marchionne started handing out second assignments, Gilles was tagged to run the Dodge brand as well. On this week's Autoline he not only discusses the demands of both jobs but also Chrysler's rapid renaissance with both product and sales. Host John McElroy is joined by Natalie Neff from AutoWeek and Jeff Gilbert from CBS Radio Detroit-WWJ 950.

Change has been the theme at the United Auto Workers union for the last few years. As it fought to keep members and jobs, it met face-to-face with today’s economic reality: Bankrupt automakers, unprofitable corporations and strong non-union foreign transplants. But now, with the UAW’s new president Bob King firmly in control, a new reality is taking shape.

Joining John McElroy to discuss where the UAW goes from here is Sean McAlinden from the Center for Automotive Research, Robert Chiaravalli, the president of Strategic Labor & Human Resources and Joe Szczesny of the Oakland Press.

Technology has been transforming the car today more than ever. Since its beginning, the auto industry has always pushed the envelope when it comes to power, ride and design. But these days consumers are demanding more and more. Whether it’s under the hood or in the cloud, a vehicle’s technology is now a top buyer consideration.

Paul Mascarenas knows that more than most. He is Ford’s chief technical officer, in other words, the man in charge of research and development. This week he joins John McElroy to discuss the company’s leading edge technology and what’s next.

For more than 40 years, one inconspicuous building outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan has been making the air we breathe cleaner. It’s the home of The Environmental Protection Agency’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory. No engine can be sold in America without its stamp of approval.

This week John McElroy gets an exclusive look behind the walls of the Lab as he talks with the EPA’s Chris Grundler about the work they do there, how it impacts the auto industry and the motorized products that we all buy.

It's been a tough couple years in the automotive supply chain. Tough for everybody it seems except for BorgWarner. The century-old global giant reported record sales and profits for last year and even registered a profit for 2009 during the great collapse. Obviously the company is doing something right. And among the items this Tier One automotive supplier has checked on its list are designing new parts for 21st Century vehicles while still producing those for its bread and butter: today's combustible engines.

Joining John McElroy to discuss a variety of topics including new technologies, the Chinese auto market and the interruption in the supply chain is BorgWarner Chairman and CEO Tim Manganello. Joann Muller from Forbes and Mark Clothier of Bloomberg News round out this week's Autoline panel.

Ad agencies tend to have a long shelf life at GM. Buick signed McCann-Erickson in 1958 while Chevy and Campbell-Ewald went all the way back to 1919. That was until the 2009 bankruptcy. And that was until Joel Ewanick.

Ewanick was the Hyundai marketing guru who made actor Jeff Bridges the voice of the Korean automaker and subsequently improved sales. He joined GM in 2010 as VP of U.S. marketing and was quickly named the automaker's global chief marketing officer in only 6 months. Ewanick moves decisively and has a "take no prisoners" mentality. Just ask any of GM's old ad agencies. He changed each one in less than a year which was pretty historic at Chevy; that's something the brand hadn't done in nearly a century.

This week John McElroy welcomes special guest Joel Ewanick for his first visit to Autoline. He is joined by Chrissie Thompson of the Detroit Free Press and Peter De Lorenzo of Autoextremist.com.

From all the bailout coverage the past few years, you might've thought that automakers only looked to Washington for money. But in reality, the Department of Transportation is involved with every OEM in one way or the other. Take Patrick Davis for instance. He runs a DOT office that searches for new fuels and groundbreaking batteries for electrics and hybrids. Over at the EPA, Margo Oge, who's in charge of, among other things, emissions, has a phalanx of staff who test every engine and the fuels that run them. And then on the flip side there are executives like Daimler's Jake Jones who works with the government on programs like the company's new Student Driving Academy. All three guests join John McElroy from the floor of this year's Washington Auto Show.

You'd think being in charge of design for an automaker would be a big enough job, but not for Ralph Gilles. As the designer of the iconic 2005 Chrysler 300, he was promoted to oversee design for all 5 of the company's brands. But in addition, when CEO Sergio Marchionne started handing out second assignments, Gilles was tagged to run the Dodge brand as well. On this week's Autoline he not only discusses the demands of both jobs but also Chrysler's rapid renaissance with both product and sales. Host John McElroy is joined by Natalie Neff from AutoWeek and Jeff Gilbert from CBS Radio Detroit-WWJ 950.

What would prompt you to pull off the road while driving? Well, for Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen -- you know, the "Hot Rod Lincoln" guys -- it was the mere thought of their favorite food which they sang about in the '70s culinary classic, "Two Triple Cheese Side Order of Fries."

But 30 years later no one seems to be pulling off the road for much of anything. Certainly not for eating evidenced by the galaxy of restaurant drive-up windows; not for phone calls thanks to cell towers & electronics; and now not for the latest eye-averting activity -- texting.

These days distracted driving appears to be running rampant. It used to be that your biggest distraction was lunging for the radio whenever that "Titanic" song came on. Instead, today drivers of all ages are multi-tasking behind the wheel leaving one to ask just when did piloting 3,000 pounds of metal at 70 miles per hour become a second or third thought, and is there anything we can do about it?

For answers to those questions and more tune into this week's Autoline where John McElroy and his panel tackles the issue that's confronting everyone on the road today, distracted driving. He's joined by three experts who have had an impact on the issue in different arenas. Louis Tijerina is a safety engineer with Ford while Paul Green is with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. John's third guest, Buzz Thomas, is a former Michigan State Senator who had a hand in crafting an anti-texting law in his state.

Guests

Paul Green, Ph.D., University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

Antifreeze was created to start cars and not necessarily brands. But sometimes the stars align -- or in this case the Pentastars -- giving the world a 75-year old company that's still going strong. Such was the humble beginning of Mopar, Chrysler Corporation Parts. From a name developed for cans of antifreeze to, can you say the word HEMI, Mopar has a rich heritage in engineering, accessories and replacement parts.

But today as manufacturers look to find new revenue streams some, including Chrysler, are turning to their brands like Mopar for that growth. And that's what Pietro Gorlier, the president and CEO of Mopar is doing with service, parts and even with vehicles themselves. This week on Autoline Mr. Gorlier joins John McElroy to discuss the brand and where he and his team are targeting that growth.

If you happen to be in a jazz band, a turnaround -- chords that take you back to an earlier part of the song -- is something easy that you do all the time. If you're an executive in the auto industry, a turnaround is a massive undertaking with no guarantee of success. Welcome to Mark Reuss' world.

As a GM legacy, Mark's father Lloyd was president of General Motors in the early '90s, he witnessed the ups and downs of this automotive giant from a closer vantage point than others. As the boss' son and then an employee, he rode the company roller coaster like everyone else until, as a corporate executive, he was there when they finally ran out of track and declared bankruptcy.

But since that point the GM turnaround has taken hold. And as head of North America, earlier this year Mark's operation helped GM achieve its largest profit since 2004. There's still a lot more work to be done but things are back on the right track...and right now there's plenty of it. This week on Autoline, GM's Mark Reuss joins John McElroy and his panel to discuss GM, its brands and where it goes from here.

This January, 2011 Detroit seemed to be channeling 1969 London for a time. That's when Beatle George Harrison, to escape the burdens of the business world, took some time off to commune with nature and stroll around the home gardens of friend Eric Clapton. With a clear head, he emerged with his epic song "Here Comes the Sun;" a tune that 42-years later you could almost hear walking around the floor of this year's North American International Auto Show.

Gone was the financial gloom of the 2009 NAIAS as well as the shrunken floor space from 12 months ago. This year Detroit welcomed back big aisles, bigger reveals and even some big names -- like Porsche -- who had been staying away. Here comes the sun, indeed.

This week Autoline captures a little bit of these sunnier climes with four interviews from the floor of Cobo Hall. Joining John McElroy from Detroit, in order of appearance, are: Adrian Hallmark, the Global Brand Director for Jaguar; the President and Co-CEO of IAC Group North America and Asia, James Kamsickas; Scott Strong, the Director of Interior Design for Ford Americas; and the COO and CFO of Subaru of America, Tom Doll.

The headline might look vaguely familiar. Think early 1960s where it borrows everything but the "Ch" from author John Steinbeck's famous travelogue "Travels with Charley." But where that work involved a camper, dog and the continental United States, "Travels with Farley" features a camera crew, a cutting-edge crossover and the hillsides of southern France. Oh, and not to mention a conversation with Ford's Global Marketing Chief.

This week on Autoline join John McElroy as he and Ford's Jim Farley roam the French countryside, in a brand new C-Max crossover, and talk marketing, comebacks and cars, cars, cars. Some of the topics Jim covers during their conversation include his early days in the business, Ford's refound success and the company's plans and hopes for its new-to-the-USA crossover, the C-Max.

And don't forget, Autoline is now available on public television across the country. Consult your local listings. And if you can't find it in your city contact your local public station and ask for Autoline.

When you're looking for an example of a huge fast marketing splash, few have been more effective than Jo Bogaert. He's the Belgian music producer who, in 1988, created the "Techtronic” sound that spread like wildfire over land, air and ocean to seemingly everything and every place that played music. His global hit single "Pump Up the Jam" with vocalist Ya Kid K was ubiquitous whether you were at a club in New York, an elevator in Tokyo or a cafe in Paris. The song and the sound spread like Kudzu and kept its grip on world music well into this decade.

Jim Newton wouldn't discourage a "viral" splash like that, but both he and his clients would really prefer to build it themselves. And that's exactly what they're doing at Tech Shop. Mr. Newton is the founder of this nationwide nirvana for those who never got enough of Industrial Arts in high school. But actually Tech Shop is much more since it allows anyone with a manufacturing idea, to create, design & produce that dream all for about the cost of joining your local YMCA.

For this week's special "On-the-Road" edition of Autoline, John McElroy takes you inside the original Menlo Park, California Tech Shop location. Here you'll meet some of the members of this creative community, experience their dreams coming to life and see why this idea is already spreading Technotronic-like across America, perhaps coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Remember the computerized character MAX HEADROOM? In the fictional future that he called home, television corporations, not governments, ran the world. And what ran television was advertising. In fact, a high-speed, super concentrated three-second dangerous version called blipverts.

Well, despite its continuing influence on our 21st Century culture, television isn't quite the ogre as the show's creators imagined. Plus advertising is still viewed in manageable 15, 30 and 60-second doses. But what they didn't miss was the ongoing symbiotic relationship of the two. A relationship that goes on display to the world's largest television audience each year during the NFL's Super Bowl.

So far there have been 45 Super Bowls played which means 45 sets of advertisers as well. Over the years the auto industry has played a major role in both creativity and content. In 2011, nine separate automotive manufacturers populated the game with nearly 20 different ads spending in excess of $50-million dollars. On this week's Autoline, John McElroy and his panel of advertising experts examine the Super Bowl and see if the automakers got their money's worth.

But in addition to our Super Bowl ad discussion, John also has his panel look at what the OEMs and their agencies were doing in the months leading up to that big day. With so many automotive accounts having changed hands last year, there's a lot more than just new creative driving these campaigns. Joining John McElroy on his advertising panel are Jean Halliday from AutoAdOpolis, David Kiley of AOL Autos and Advertising Age and Gary Topolewski, an award-winning advertising creative director.

And for even more insight into our panel's Super Bowl ad analysis click on the Autoline EXTRA for this show. That's where Jean, David and Gary get into the real nitty-gritty of every automotive ad aired during Super Bowl 45.

If recent history is any guide, many Americans believe that the easiest way to reform our government is to attend a couple of town hall meetings, kick some politicians out of office and wait for the inevitable change to come. However there's a flaw in that formula, and it has nothing to do with the three branches of government, the Fourth Estate or the voters themselves. The formula simply doesn't account for three little letters that spell out the powerful acronym NGO.

Non-governmental organizations have a mighty hold over how Washington works. Their influence blankets everything from monetary policy to drug laws to environmental edicts. And whether they're called think tanks, foundations or associations, these organizations are the pipeline through which much political influence travels. The kind of influence that molds many of our laws, especially those that effect the auto industry.

That's why, on a recent trip to the Washington Auto Show, John McElroy made it a point to catch up with two of these DC insiders, along with a California outsider, to talk about our all-around federal automotive policies. Daniel Weiss is a Senior Fellow at the left-leaning Center for American Progress while Fred Smith is the president and founder of the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute. Both card-carrying members of the Washington NGO fraternity. Meanwhile, rounding out the panel is Ron Cogan, the editor of Green Car Journal and GreenCar.com, a leading outlet for green transportation information. And though it's based on the west coast, most of its content is driven by what happens in Washington.

So check out this week's Autoline and see why the auto industry, at times, looks a little dizzy thanks to the DC Dance.

Since his appearance in last week's Super Bowl commercial, many have automatically linked Chrysler with the gritty music of the artist Eminem. And while the soundtrack of "Lose Yourself" worked as a reflection of Detroit's streets, the song that may in fact be more relevant to the company today has its roots in 1971.

Given where Chrysler was just 20 months ago, the music that seems to best capture the emotions coming out of its Auburn Hills headquarters is the 40-year-old pop tune "Mighty Clouds of Joy." As the company continues to introduce its well-reviewed new or significantly refreshed products -- vehicles that they were working on throughout those dark days of bankruptcy -- lines from the song like "those old storm clouds are slowly drifting by" take on a whole new meaning. Just ask some of those who were there...which is exactly what John McElroy does in this week's edition of Autoline.

Joining John on an all-Chrysler panel are three company veterans who, like many, witnessed the bad times but kept pushing ahead because of the product. Joe Dehner, the head of Dodge Design, Chris Barman, the VLE of E-Segment vehicles and Klaus Busse the head of Interior Design, all talk with John about Chrysler -- the company, its people but most importantly its new product -- and where they all go from here.

Three hundred years ago when cotton was king, the tallest and healthiest plants were the most valued. Farmers were said to be in "high cotton" when they had a bumper crop of plants like those because it translated directly to their status and wealth.

These days the phrase "high cotton" may be a bit dated, however, it still carries the distinction of wealth. And during January's North American International Auto Show in Detroit, there was no one sitting in "higher cotton" than those few who were invited to "The Gallery."

A few years ago, to cater to the customer that F. Scott Fitzgerald described as being "different from you and me," the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, sponsors of the NAIAS, developed this special preview of the most exclusive vehicles at the auto show for the crowd that Fitzgerald termed "the very rich." Well, if the Rolls-Royce fits...and in this case it does. As does the Maybach, the Bentley, the Maserati and more.

Join John McElroy as he takes his cameras behind-the-scenes and into a world that even Jay Gatsby couldn't imagine. He'll talk to the men behind the event as well as dealers and customers who crossed the country to attend it. Why he even catches up with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck who developed an exclusive meal for this very exclusive group. It's a peek inside "The Gallery," this week on Autoline.

This January, 2011 Detroit seemed to be channeling 1969 London for a time. That's when Beatle George Harrison, to escape the burdens of the business world, took some time off to commune with nature and stroll around the home gardens of friend Eric Clapton. With a clear head, he emerged with his epic song "Here Comes the Sun;" a tune that 42-years later you could almost hear walking around the floor of this year's North American International Auto Show.

Gone was the financial gloom of the 2009 NAIAS as well as the shrunken floor space from 12 months ago. This year Detroit welcomed back big aisles, bigger reveals and even some big names -- like Porsche -- who had been staying away. Here comes the sun, indeed.

This week Autoline captures a little bit of these sunnier climes with four interviews from the floor of Cobo Hall. Joining John McElroy from Detroit, in order of appearance, are: Adrian Hallmark, the Global Brand Director for Jaguar; the President and Co-CEO of IAC Group North America and Asia, James Kamsickas; Scott Strong, the Director of Interior Design for Ford Americas; and the COO and CFO of Subaru of America, Tom Doll.

The headline might look vaguely familiar. Think early 1960s where it borrows everything but the "Ch" from author John Steinbeck's famous travelogue "Travels with Charley." But where that work involved a camper, dog and the continental United States, "Travels with Farley" features a camera crew, a cutting-edge crossover and the hillsides of southern France. Oh, and not to mention a conversation with Ford's Global Marketing Chief.

This week on Autoline join John McElroy as he and Ford's Jim Farley roam the French countryside, in a brand new C-Max crossover, and talk marketing, comebacks and cars, cars, cars. Some of the topics Jim covers during their conversation include his early days in the business, Ford's refound success and the company's plans and hopes for its new-to-the-USA crossover, the C-Max.

And don't forget, Autoline is now available on public television across the country. Consult your local listings. And if you can't find it in your city contact your local public station and ask for Autoline.

When you're looking for an example of a huge fast marketing splash, few have been more effective than Jo Bogaert. He's the Belgian music producer who, in 1988, created the "Techtronic” sound that spread like wildfire over land, air and ocean to seemingly everything and every place that played music. His global hit single "Pump Up the Jam" with vocalist Ya Kid K was ubiquitous whether you were at a club in New York, an elevator in Tokyo or a cafe in Paris. The song and the sound spread like Kudzu and kept its grip on world music well into this decade.

Jim Newton wouldn't discourage a "viral" splash like that, but both he and his clients would really prefer to build it themselves. And that's exactly what they're doing at Tech Shop. Mr. Newton is the founder of this nationwide nirvana for those who never got enough of Industrial Arts in high school. But actually Tech Shop is much more since it allows anyone with a manufacturing idea, to create, design & produce that dream all for about the cost of joining your local YMCA.

For this week's special "On-the-Road" edition of Autoline, John McElroy takes you inside the original Menlo Park, California Tech Shop location. Here you'll meet some of the members of this creative community, experience their dreams coming to life and see why this idea is already spreading Technotronic-like across America, perhaps coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Show 1502

Marty Padgett, High Gear Media, Eddie Alterman, Car and Driver. Topic: North American Car of the Year Finalists.

Since 1994, the first awarding of the North American Car of the Year, there has been a parade each year of three finalists with one winner. Amid the 48 contenders and 16 eventual winners with their sleek designs and top-notch engineering there's been only one car that many observers considered a gateway to the 21st Century, and that was the Toyota Prius Hybrid. Well, it may be 11 years later but welcome to the 21st Century.

This year the more than 50 jurors of the North American Car of the Year chose not just one but two ground-breaking finalists by adding both the Chevy Volt plug-in and Nissan's Electric LEAF to its final three. But let's not forget the third member of the COY finalists, Hyundai's hot-selling Sonata, with its more standard internal combustion engine which received review after glowing review throughout 2010.

On this week's Autoline, NACTOY founding member John McElroy is joined by two of his fellow jurors, Eddie Alterman from Car & Driver and Marty Padgett from High Gear Media, as they discuss all three finalists, what they mean to the auto industry and who they each believe will be the 2011 North American Car of the Year.